Barbed fence



(No Model.) i J. L. RITBR.

BARBED FENCE.

cut, the lines of cut being dotted.

NTTBD STATES i PATENT muon.

JOHN L. BITER, OF BROWNSVILLE, INDIANA.

BARBEn FENCE.

SPBCFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 352,428, dated November 9, 1886.

Application filed July 3, 1885.v Serial No. 170,587. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Jol-IN L. RITER, of Brownsville, in the county of Union and State of Indiana, Ahave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic'Fences; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, suoli as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in metallic fences.

The object is to provide a fence which shall present an obvious obstruction to animals, and which will economize metal in its construction, thereby affording an effective and durable fence at a comparatively low cost.

A further object is to provide an effective and durable pale fence which may be packed into' a compact form for shipment.

With these ends in view my invention con'- sists in the combination, with a series of cables, each of which is composed of several strands ofwire, of a series of metal pales having prongs, the cables being twisted between` the pales, and embracing the same at points between the prongs.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures l, 2, and 3 are views of fence-sections, showing the use of pales of slightly-diiierent forms; and Fig. 4 is a blank from which the pales are A represents a pale cut from thin sheet metal, and provided with a series of saw-tooth prongs, a, on both its edges.

B represents one of two or more cables, each formed by twisting together two strands of wire. The projections et on the edges of the pale are preferably opposite each other, and the strands of the cable embrace the pale between two consecutive prongs. The cable on each side of the pale being twisted causes the strands which surround the pale to tightly hug the same, and thereby lock the pale snugly thereto. The number of cables required depends upon the height of the fence. They should for ordinary purposes be placed not more than a foot or fourteen inches apart. The cables are supported by suitable posts set at the proper distance apart. The firmness given the cables by the pales, which act as cross-braces, requires a less number of posts than is ordinarily employed. The upper ends of the pales may beallowed to project a short distance above the upper cable; but I prefer to bend them down, forming a smooth nish, and removing the danger of tearing the flesh or more seriously injn ring any stock which might attempt to jump the fence.

The economy in material may be illustrated as follows: Supposing the extreme width ofthe pale be four inches and the prongseach one f inch long, a blank 'seven inches wide will furnish two pales, the extreme width of each lbeing four inches, a blank ten inches wide will furnish three such pales, Src., the prongs of each succeeding pale after the first being cut from between the prongs of its adjacent pales. There is also a further element of economy in the fact that pales provided with sharp prongs will form a more effective obstacle to stock than smooth-edged pales, even when the former are placed at a greater distance apart than the latter. nally and placing the sections with their smooth edges a short distance apart, as represented in Fig. 2, a further economy of material is obtained. In Fig. 3 the prongs are represented as having rounded ends somewhat in the form of scallops. The adjacent pales to this may be provided with concave edged prongs, such as would naturally be cut from the edges of the scalloped pale, and the material thus fully utilized and the monotony of the fence relieved.

There are various other forms of projections or prongs which might be devised having a more or less ornamental appearance.

The prongs a may alllie in the plane of the body of the pale, or some may be turned laterally to the line of fence.

Thecables represented in the accompanying drawings are smooth wire. They may, however, be constructed of barbed wire, and the pales could then be placed at a greater dis- A tance apart; but the cost would besomewhat.

greater, and its effectiveness would be but slightly enhanced, if at all.

This fence as above constructed may be rolled tightly for shipment, and when so packed will occupy a space much less than the wireand-pale fences hitherto constructed.` 1 I am aware that it is not new to provide pales with barbs and support them by wire cables. I am also aware that it is not new to Again, bysplitting the palelongitudi- IOO paies and embracing the 'saine at points between the prongs, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specilieation in the presence of two subscribin g witnesses.

JOHN L. RITER.

Vitnesses:

JOHN A. SHERKEY, J. M. MOKINNY. 

